Lhermitte-Duclos Disease and Cowden Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review
Arq. bras. neurocir; 38 (4), 2019
Publication year: 2019
Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD), also known as dysplastic gangliocytoma of the
cerebellum, is a rare, usually benign, slow-growing tumor, that commonly affects
patients aged 30 to 50 years-old. The manifestations of dysplastic cerebellar gangliocytoma
are nonspecific and are related both to the mass effect produced by its growth
and to the location of the lesion. Cerebellar symptoms such as ataxia are often present.
In 40% of cases, the tumor is associated with Cowden syndrome, which is part of a
group ofgenetic disorders called polypoid hamartoma complex. In this case report, the
patient presented expansive lesion in the posterior fossa, compatible with LDD,
associated with macrocephaly. These findings are consideredmajor criteria for Cowden
syndrome. When together, they confirm the diagnoses. To our knowledge, this is the
first report of the association of LDD and Cowden syndrome in Brazil.